The Challenge of Aging

Do you have a will? Why is it important to make a will? What is a living will? What information is available online to create a will?

I do not personally have a will. A living will informs your healthcare providers and your family about your desires for medical treatment in the event you are not able to speak for yourself. There are programs that can be purchased to create your own will on a computer without a lawyer. For example: http://www.alllaw.com/articles/wills_and_trusts/online-will-software.htm
If you have a complicated situation it is recommended you see a lawyer! Here is comedic take on what could happen if you don't make a living will and your health takes a turn! http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s05e13-kenny-dies

In this episode of South Park, Kenny is diagnosed with muscular dystrophy making him unable to communicate with anyone regarding his health situation. Meanwhile his friends and guardians are split between keeping him alive or letting him pass away because they were unable to find his will (up until the end of the episode.)

Environmental Health

I studied the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and made this presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rawK0VugtSoIs1l0VV4E-9bBUAJVHqCcwmeCzmablCg/edit?usp=sharing

I got my information from the following links:

General information-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch

What people are actually doing about it-
 http://www.gyrecleanup.org/cleanup-plan/

Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life Movie Advertisement

Alternative Medicine Ad

"The hot-cold theory of disease ranks among the most popular systems of contemporary folk medicine in the United States. In health, the human body displays a balanced blending of hot and cold qualities. Sickness will ensue if an excess of hot or cold foodstuffs is ingested. The basic scheme was introduced into Latin America by the Spanish during the 16th century. Reinforced by native cultural values, it became firmly embedded in popular Latin healing traditions. The hot-cold scheme is applied to foods, diseases, and remedies. The terms hot and cold do not necessarily refer to the temperature of foods or remedies. Qualities are assigned on the basis of origin, color, nutritional value, physiological effects of the food or remedy, as well as therapeutical action. Among New York Puerto Ricans, for example, bananas, coconuts, and sugar cane are considered cold, whereas chocolate, garlic,alcoholic beverages, and corn meal are hot. Cold-classified illnesses such are arthritis, colds, and gastric complaints must be treated with hot foods and remedies. Their hot counterparts --constipation, diarrhea, and intestinal cramps--require treatment with cold substances." -Quoted from http://hogarhispano.homestead.com/hispanichealth.html

• Hot-Cold does not refer to actual temperature.
• Hot illnesses are treated with cold foods, cold illnesses are treated with hot foods.
• Foods are divided into hot and cold differently based on the culture. Main cultures that practice this are Chinese, Indian-Ayurvedic (traditional medicine system), and Latin American. 

The Immune System

How does stress effect the immune system?

Stress has many different impacts on the immune system. Stress can negatively impact the digestive system, slowing down digestion during stress and speeding it up afterwards, causing ulcers.

Stress can also raise blood pressure that in turn effects the immune system. Chronic depression can leave the body vulnerable to disease and infection. Many experiments have taken place that indicate people who are stressed, such as those taking care of Alzheimer patients and people who are lonely, have much lower immunity levels/infection fighting T-cells.

Works cited: http://web.ebscohost.com.prozy.palomar.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=de561a2b-b8ae-48f7-a4c0-9dcbc51de84b%40sessionmgr12&hid=22&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=80444909

and

http://www.apa.org/research/action/immune.aspx